Having relocated from Kent to his wife’s hometown of Liverpool with a delivery job lined up, Terry Waters was frustrated and dejected to be made redundant within six months of the move.
Nearly a year later however, after being referred by his job centre to a local UK online centre, Terry has developed new skills to help in his job search, completed further training and is feeling positive about his future prospects for employment.
The former drayman, 34, who lives in the Anfield area of the city says, “Being laid off was really tough especially so soon after moving to a new area. And it soon became obvious that there were some skills I didn’t have that I really needed to be able to find new work.
“Even if you don’t think you need to use a computer in a particular job, you definitely need to be able to use one to get the job in the first place! So many application forms are online now and a lot of employers only accept CVs submitted by email. When I first started looking I’d drop off my CV with employers by hand but it go so frustrating because more often than not I’d never hear anything back.
“Unfortunately I’d never needed to use computers at work before and because it’s nearly 20 years since I was at school and they just weren’t as common as they are now, I didn’t really know my way around a computer at all. I could just about turn one on but that was about it!”
Unfortunately Terry’s experience is one that Tara Jussa, Project Officer at Granby Toxteth Development Trust is hearing all too often, she says, “We’re seeing so much redundancy in Liverpool at the moment that we’re getting more and more people coming through the centre that might have been in the same job for 20 years and haven’t needed to use a computer but now they find themselves back in the job market where everything happens online and they don’t have basic skills they need to even start searching for a job.”
With the support of the staff at the Granby Toxteth Development Trust, Terry’s local UK online centre, Terry was soon coming on leaps and bounds, learning to search for jobs online and send out his CV by email.
Terry says, “To be honest, when the Job Centre first referred me I was a bit scared about going back into learning after so long but the staff at the centre were so helpful that I started improving my skills and picking up how to use the computer pretty quickly.”
Tara has really seen a change in Terry. She says, “Since first being referred here he really has come further than I think even he realises. He’s such a help in the centre too, supporting others when he’s in a class himself. We’ve even signed him up to help others.
Terry’s now doing everything he can to find work and make sure he’s putting his new skills to use. He says, “I’m just really ready to get on with working again now. I’m using job search websites and emailing out my CV to everyone I can. I’ll try pretty much anything to be honest, I’ve signed up with some agencies that handle drivers and delivery jobs because that fits my experience but I’ve recently completed security training, just so I’ve got as many options as possible.
“Staying positive and being proactive is really important when looking for work but it’s not always easy. That’s why I’m so proud of all the new skills I’ve managed to gain while being out of work.”
Nearly a year later however, after being referred by his job centre to a local UK online centre, Terry has developed new skills to help in his job search, completed further training and is feeling positive about his future prospects for employment.
The former drayman, 34, who lives in the Anfield area of the city says, “Being laid off was really tough especially so soon after moving to a new area. And it soon became obvious that there were some skills I didn’t have that I really needed to be able to find new work.
“Even if you don’t think you need to use a computer in a particular job, you definitely need to be able to use one to get the job in the first place! So many application forms are online now and a lot of employers only accept CVs submitted by email. When I first started looking I’d drop off my CV with employers by hand but it go so frustrating because more often than not I’d never hear anything back.
“Unfortunately I’d never needed to use computers at work before and because it’s nearly 20 years since I was at school and they just weren’t as common as they are now, I didn’t really know my way around a computer at all. I could just about turn one on but that was about it!”
Unfortunately Terry’s experience is one that Tara Jussa, Project Officer at Granby Toxteth Development Trust is hearing all too often, she says, “We’re seeing so much redundancy in Liverpool at the moment that we’re getting more and more people coming through the centre that might have been in the same job for 20 years and haven’t needed to use a computer but now they find themselves back in the job market where everything happens online and they don’t have basic skills they need to even start searching for a job.”
With the support of the staff at the Granby Toxteth Development Trust, Terry’s local UK online centre, Terry was soon coming on leaps and bounds, learning to search for jobs online and send out his CV by email.
Terry says, “To be honest, when the Job Centre first referred me I was a bit scared about going back into learning after so long but the staff at the centre were so helpful that I started improving my skills and picking up how to use the computer pretty quickly.”
Tara has really seen a change in Terry. She says, “Since first being referred here he really has come further than I think even he realises. He’s such a help in the centre too, supporting others when he’s in a class himself. We’ve even signed him up to help others.
Terry’s now doing everything he can to find work and make sure he’s putting his new skills to use. He says, “I’m just really ready to get on with working again now. I’m using job search websites and emailing out my CV to everyone I can. I’ll try pretty much anything to be honest, I’ve signed up with some agencies that handle drivers and delivery jobs because that fits my experience but I’ve recently completed security training, just so I’ve got as many options as possible.
“Staying positive and being proactive is really important when looking for work but it’s not always easy. That’s why I’m so proud of all the new skills I’ve managed to gain while being out of work.”
